Editorial: Arizona fire tragedy leaves nation heartbroken

The mountains near Yarnell, Ariz. are more than 2,500 miles from the hills of Western Massachusetts, but the towering inferno that took the lives of 19 of the 20 members of one of the state’s elite firefighting teams on Sunday felt gut-wrenchingly close to home – reminding us that there are people among us who risk their lives for the public’s safety.

Members of the specially trained Granite Mountain Hotshots, a unit based in the town of Prescott, were "just kids," one fire official said - ranging in age from 21 to 43, with most in their 20s. Interviews with their families and colleagues in the wake of the windblown blaze that took their lives revealed that they were men of courage and character.

That courage was evident in text messages and photos sent to loved ones in the hours before their death. Their sacrifice– the nation’s biggest loss of firefighters since 9/11 – highlights the dangers associated with firefighting and policework – dangers that public gives little thought to until tragedy strikes.

Now, as a period of mourning begins for the lost heroes, investigators from around the nation are converging on Prescott to examine the evidence explaining how the tragedy unfolded. Some compared the tragedy to Colorado’s Storm King Mountain fire that claimed the lives of 14 firefighters in 1994. That fire led to revised policies for firefighting.

We hope what investigators find will help prevent loss of life in the future. In the meantime, we join an entire nation mourning the loss of some of our finest and bravest citizens.